‘Man, I’m herdin’.’
‘Herding what?’
‘The kye.’
At that moment some of the young cattle took it into their heads to cross the ditch which separated their territory from the moor, and the boy with a ‘Here, Swallow!’ sent the dog bounding after the ‘stirks.’
‘And do you stay here all alone?’
‘Ay.’
‘All day long?’
‘Ou, ay.’
‘Poor little fellow!’ was on my lips, but I did not utter the words. The child was healthy and strong, and not, apparently, unhappy. He held a ‘gully’ in one hand, and a bit of wood, which he had been whittling while he sang, in the other. Why should I, by expressing my pity for his solitary condition, make him discontented with his lot?
Fortunately I had in my pocket a few coppers, which I presented to him. You should have seen the joy that lighted up the child’s face! He looked at the treasure shyly, as if afraid to touch it, so I had to force it into his hand. I don’t think I ever saw before such an expression of pure unalloyed delight on a human countenance. He was so happy that he forgot to thank me.